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Fresh strawberry cake made with real strawberries and strawberry yogurt. No jello mix or artificial strawberry flavor in this cake! Easy strawberry sheet cake made in a 9×13 inch pan topped with cream cheese frosting.
Real Strawberry Cake
We didn’t take any shortcuts with this strawberry sheet cake. No strawberry flavored box mixes, no strawberry jello or pudding, just real strawberry puree in the batter! Plus strawberry yogurt, for moisture and fat.
The strawberry flavor in this cake is light, sweet, and subtle. The cream cheese frosting adds that tang that helps break up the sweetness. We added fresh strawberries for garnish, which gives the cake another layer of flavor and texture.
Homemade Strawberry Cake Ingredients
all purpose flour: flour is necessary to build structure
baking powder: helps to leaven and lift the batter
baking soda: helps to leaven and lift the batter
salt: just a pinch to balance the sweetness and enhances the other flavors in the cake
unsalted butter: adds flavor and tender texture
granulated sugar: adds sweetness and flavor
eggs: binds the cake together by providing structure
vanilla extract: adds flavor
pureed strawberries: brings a light strawberry flavor and light pink color to the cake
strawberry yogurt: adds moisture and fat
milk: adds moisture
Fresh or frozen strawberries?
You can use fresh or frozen strawberries to make strawberry puree. If using frozen strawberries, thaw them first. It’s important to fully blend the strawberries, then measure 2/3 cup strawberry puree.
How to Make Strawberry Cake From Scratch
- Combine all the dry ingredients together. Set aside.
- Blend fresh or frozen strawberries, then measure 2/3 cup strawberry puree. Set aside.
- Beat the butter and sugar together, 1-2 minutes, until thick and creamy.
- Add in the eggs, vanilla extract, strawberry puree, strawberry yogurt and milk. Beat again until combined.
- Gently fold in the dry ingredients, mixing by hand with a spatula.
- Spray a 9×13 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray. Pour the batter into the pan and spread smooth with a spatula.
- Bake then cool completely before adding the frosting.
Total Time Required
- 10 minutes to prep the batter
- 27-35 minutes to bake the cake
- 1 hour, at least, to cool the cake
- 15 minutes to make and frost the cake
Frosting Options
Follow our recipe below for cream cheese frosting.
If you want to make strawberry cream cheese frosting, add 3 tbsp strawberry jam to our cream cheese frosting.
Tips for Making Cake
- Properly measure the all purpose flour using the spoon and sweep method.
- Use room temperature butter for easier creaming of the butter and sugar.
- Combine the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until they are combined. Over mixing could lead to dry, dense cake.
Strawberry Cake Questions
Should I use fresh or frozen strawberries? You can use either to make the strawberry puree. Thaw frozen strawberries. Place the strawberries in a blender and blend until it’s pureed.
Can I substitute a different type of yogurt? I have only used regular strawberry yogurt in this recipe, not greek yogurt. You can use plain or vanilla regular yogurt in place of strawberry yogurt.
How should I store this cake? Store cake with cream cheese frosting in the fridge.
I want the cake to be bolder in color – what can I do? You can add 1-2 small drops of red or pink food coloring to the batter for a deeper red color. I did not add any food coloring to the cake in the photos.
More Recipes Using Strawberries
- Strawberry Angel Food Cake
- Mini Strawberry Cheesecakes
- Strawberry Sauce
- Strawberry Sangria
- Easy Strawberry Whipped Cream
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Strawberry Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 1 stick unsalted butter, softened, 1/2 cup
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup pureed strawberries
- 1 cup strawberry yogurt
- ¼ cup milk
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 stick unsalted butter, softened, 1/2 cup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3-4 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350º F. Spray a 9×13 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a smaller bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix gently. Set aside.
- In a larger mixing bowl, beat the sugar and butter with an electric mixer until fluffy, 1-2 minutes.
- Add in the eggs, lightly beat with the mixer.
- Add in the vanilla extract, pureed strawberries, strawberry yogurt and milk. Mix.
- Gradually add in the flour mixture, mixing with a spatula until the flour is incorporated.
- Pour the batter into a sprayed 9×13 inch pan. Bake for 27-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely before adding the frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a mixing bowl combine the cream cheese and butter, beat with an electric mixer for 1-2 minutes, until smooth. Add in the vanilla extract and gradually add the powdered sugar. Beat with the mixer until well combined. Spread the frosting over the cooled cake.
- Add fresh strawberries if desired. Store in the fridge.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclosure
All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
Awesome cake recipe along with the pictures. I would love to try this cake on every occasion and special days.
This is really good!
This looks good and so simple. Thanks Beth.
Can this cake be made using a cake mix? It’s getting hot where I live and I don’t like to spend a lot of time in the kitchen.
Hi Nina! We have a recipe for doctored up white cake that you could use instead – it starts with a box mix: https://thefirstyearblog.com/doctored-up-white-cake-mix/